Am I the only one that gets stumped with it comes to email marketing? It's something we have been using for many years, but the changes and keeping up are exhausting sometimes! When it comes to writing promotional emails, there’s a fine line between being pushy and annoying, and being convincing and valuable. No one likes pushy, annoying emails. Marketing allows you to send out promotional emails regularly to boost your sales, drive more traffic to your website, and increase brand awareness. Promotional emails refer to emails that are sent out to promote a time-based offer. This could be a discount (I like to say exclusive), coupon code, free download (give value), event, or any other limited time offer (always have a deadline).
These emails can be irritating for the recipient, especially if they’re not tailored to the right audience. I learned this the hard way. I used to have one sales funnel that would go to everyone. Well that did not work. Imagine receiving numerous emails about your wedding when you have been married for over 2 years, or worse, you are already divorced. Or getting emails about traveling out of the country when you don't even own a passport. How does it make you feel to get emails that are not relevant to you; annoying!
When you write promotional emails you need to know exactly who you’re talking to. And I have learned that conversational writing converts better for some audiences. Are you offering something to to women, men, kids, busy working professionals, students, parents, dog lovers, travel enthusiasts, people living in a specific location or of a particular age group? Writing valuable and relevant promotional emails becomes easier when you can picture your perfect client or customer, and speak to them directly in a way that most appeals to them. This is where my psychology methodology is so helpful. We customize the messages the way the audience needs to hear it! Here are a few tips to get you started!
Think before you write
Think about your target audience or customer and then ask the following three questions. Your answers will guide you through the email creation process; be authentic. I am not a good writer or a good speller and half the time my sentences are not grammatically correct. It's not about being perfect. It's about providing value that can help others.
1.What are you offering that is valuable?
Even before you start outlining your promotional email, think about what you’re offering to your audience. Is it a coupon code that needs to be redeemed (with a deadline), free downloadable content, an event invite, or a gift card? Understanding your offer will help you know what you want your email to say. And be sure you are tracking this info on the backend.
2.How will it benefit your audience/client?
Once you know who will benefit from your offer, think about how they’ll benefit. Will it help them save money, get rewards or valuable information, or simply get a chance to grab a good deal? For example, if you are offering a free downloadable guide on social media marketing, think about how this guide will help marketers, or small business owners get better at it. Or how would the guide improve their skills and knowledge on social media?
3.How to grab your offer?
Think about how someone can read your promotional email, and grab your offer. Do they need to click on a link, fill out a form? What information do you want to gather from them? Usually this is to build an email list, so make sure you ask enough information that will help you target their interests.
Other things to think about:
*Strong subject lines that will get people to open. I don't know why, but sex sells. Where are your heads at people!? The things people say in the subject to get you to open have been crazy. Recently, I got an email from a favorite podcaster that said, “sweaty balls and bras” and I was like WHAT is this about!? I often get asked, should I have a pre-header, well yes, for those people that have the preview lines on their iPhones, why not give them more details, but keep it vague. Making others have FOMO is key. Oh, consider the date and time you send your emails, that is if you don't have analytics to look at to guide you.
*Catchy message in the body of the email is important. The formula goes like this:
Tell a Story and Create an emotion. Give your reader value and make them feel what you feel. Remember, a paragraph with 4-5 sentences, is long enough. Or even better, add bullet points if there is more information you need to share. This section of your email must convince your audience that the value you’re offering is worth it.
*A bad ass CTA (call to action) will get your audience to click. Things to consider are: the shape of the button, the color, the text, and so much more (alot goes into this). What do you want them to do; give them ONE thing to do. When giving too many options, consumers get overwhelmed and they do nothing. Use actionable words. It's always fun to A/B split test to see what is going to interest your audience more. What you think and what actually converts is two different things. Putting your price and opinion aside is a must and let the data dictate what happens next.
Now, don't expect to wake up and be a millionaire over night. Mastering promo emails and conversions takes practice, time, investing, and so much more. It can be fun if you really focus on how you can best help your audience. Happy emailing!
